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Prison Death

Feature October 30
Their Loved Ones Died Behind Bars. These Keepsakes Are All They Have Left.
Five families reflect on the possessions they got back, and the ones they didn’t.
By and
Feature October 29
These Families Wanted to Lay Their Loved Ones to Rest. They Had to Bring Them Home From Prison First.
Policies that dictate what happens after a death behind bars often add new layers of pain — and financial and logistical challenges — for those left behind.
By
An illustration depicts two correctional officers dressed in gray shirts and black pants standing in front of a beige wall with barred windows high above them. At a distance in shadows lies the body of an incarcerated person wearing an teal prison jumpsuit crumpled on the floor.
Investigate This October 28
Journalists: How to Report on Deaths in Jails and Prisons
When you get a tip about a death or multiple deaths in your local jail or prison, there are concrete steps you can take to start investigating.
By , and
An illustration of a family at the start of a path looking toward their relative in the distance, at the end of the path. Panels of black-and-white photo collages, including family photos, surround the illustration.
Life Inside September 26
When Their Loved Ones Died Behind Bars, These Families Had to Sleuth for the Truth
After a family member passes away in prison or jail, people are often left with basic questions. To get answers, they have to get creative.
By , and
A photo shows a Black woman with curly hair in a ponytail holding a framed picture while posing for a portrait in front of her home. The framed picture shows her embracing and looking toward her son, a Black man with a plaid shirt and glasses, in front of a green background.
Jackson September 10
New Evidence May Offer Answers to Mother of Son Slain in Mississippi Prison 5 Years Ago
After reports of cell keys being shared and the lights turned off, Denorris Howell was killed in his dark Parchman prison cell.
By Jerry Mitchell, Mississippi Today
An illustration shows a bar graph with bars of varying heights. Leaning at the base of some of the individual bars are figures of people dressed in teal-colored jumpsuits. The bars and the people cast shadows at an angle on the ground.
Feature August 7
How We Analyzed the Justice Department’s Death in Custody Data
A rare look into data collected under the Death in Custody Reporting Act revealed serious problems.
By and
An illustration shows a maze made up of teal blue lines, on a black background. Interspersed in the maze are nine simplified figures of people of different genders and ages. In the center of the maze is a white speech bubble.
Get Involved August 6
After a Death Behind Bars, Families Struggle for Answers. This Guide Can Help.
Learn what questions to ask prison or jail officials, how to request key records and what to consider if you’re thinking about legal action.
By
[Use this form](https://airtable.com/appR7SW9BhPZGdXp9/pagoMplkqm6bNwKLQ/form) to tell us about your experience when someone died in custody.
Get Involved April 10
Did Your Family Member Die in Prison or Jail? What Happened Next?
Your insights help inform The Marshall Project’s reporting on what families go through when someone dies in custody.
By The Marshall Project
An illustration shows a silhouette of a person sitting down, in a mix of colors. Outlines of sitting people with bent posture surround the silhouette against a black background.
Life Inside March 28
Anatomy of a Prison Death
It’s stressful when anyone dies on your wing, especially when no one ever tells you what happened.
By Thomas Koskovich
An illustration featuring a series of prisoners, dressed in orange uniforms, in varying poses of illness, such as hands cupping a face, coughing into a closed fist, bending over with hands on their knees for support.
Investigate This July 25, 2024
How to Investigate COVID’s Deadly Toll in Your State Prisons
Our toolkit helps you report on deadly systemic failures and analyze the pandemic as a case study of how facilities can prepare for the next crisis.
By The Marshall Project
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